With the proliferation of high quality video, an increasing number of electronics devices (e.g., consumer electronics devices) utilize high definition (HD) video which can require multiple gigabit per second (Gbps) in bandwidth for transmission. As such, when transmitting such HD video between devices, conventional transmission approaches compress the HD video to a fraction of its size to lower the required transmission bandwidth. The compressed video is then decompressed for consumption. However, with each compression and subsequent decompression of the video data, some data can be lost and the picture quality can be reduced.
The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification allows transfer of uncompressed HD signals between devices via a cable. While consumer electronics makers are beginning to offer HDMI-compatible equipment, there is not yet a suitable wireless (e.g., radio frequency) technology that is capable of transmitting uncompressed HD video signals.
The OSI standard provides a seven-layered hierarchy between an end user and a physical device through which different systems can communicate. Each layer is responsible for different tasks, and the OSI standard specifies the interaction between layers, as well as between devices complying with the standard. The OSI standard includes a physical layer, a data link layer, a network layer, a transport layer, a session layer, a presentation layer and an application layer. The IEEE 802 standard provides a three-layered architecture for local networks that approximate the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI standard. The three-layered architecture in the IEEE 802 standard 200 includes a physical (PHY) layer, a media access control (MAC) layer, and a logical link control (LLC) layer. The PHY layer operates as that in the OSI standard. The MAC and LLC layers share the functions of the data link layer in the OSI standard. The LLC layer places data into frames that can be communicated at the PHY layer, and the MAC layer manages communication over the data link, sending data frames and receiving acknowledgement (ACK) frames. Together the MAC and LLC layers are responsible for error checking as well as retransmission of frames that are not received and acknowledged.
Wireless personal area networks (WPANs) as defined by the IEEE 802 standard and similar technologies can suffer interference issues when several devices are connected which do not have enough bandwidth to carry the uncompressed HD signal, and do not provide an air interface to transmit uncompressed video over a 60 GHz band. The IEEE 802.15.3 specifies channel access methods for transmission of audio/visual information over WPANs. However, in IEEE 802.15.3, channel access control is complicated and is only for access to a single channel. It does not allow efficient device discovery in a wireless network, nor establishing direct communication link based on device discovery.